Best summer month to avoid midgets in Scotland?
 

Best summer month to avoid midgets in Scotland?

I am planning a 3 month England, Wales, Soctland, N. Ireland, and Ireland summer trip (starting in Brighton, and working up the west coast (via Wales). My question is when to arrive in Scotland when the insect problem (midgets) is not as severe? I am planning on a hiking tour of Scotland, and hitchhiking as well. If I know when the best time to visit Scotland is, I'll know to start 3-4 weeks earlier in Brighton. It should take a bout a month to take in SW England, Wales, and NE England (before entering Scotland).

Thanks

The funniest thing ive read this year...
 

MIDGETS! :rofl: why would you want to avoid midgets in scotland?!?

sorry, cant stop laughing....

Midges is the word your after lol

good question!
 

Brilliant. I haven't laughed so much in ages :thumbup1:

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...axe-midget.jpg

Watch out there's a midget about!

Hi, the midges are out in full force at the moment, i lasted 15 minutes sitting outside last night. it won't get much better for months . The best time to avoid midges is Easter until early May. Andy

Andy

I was in Stirling 2 weeks ago for the bank holiday and I got eaten alive !!

Going up again next weekend to John O'Groats... So will be better protected.

My question is... what month later in the year do they start to disappear?

Cheers
Geordie

I usually save Scotland until the first two weeks in September. Most of the midges are gone and so have the tourists. Both are annoying! I've had a lot of luck with the weather too, late in the season.

I was in Applecross for the raftrace in August last year and it was alive with midges, ALIVE I tells ya! But don't let it put you off you can use repellant and midge nets.

The Highlands are an amazing sight. Great views sewn together with great roads, not to be missed. :scooter:

Have a look here Midge Forecast : forecast today's a good day for no midges, windy and cold:thumbup1:



Trophymick

The best months in Scotland to avoid midges is April, May and September. Before or after is a little cold and wet for trekking unless you don't mind that kind of thing and are properly equipped. The bad months are obviously June to August.

The best way to avoid being bitten is to wear a midge headnet. But buy it in Scotland, generic ones from international companies (i.e. Lifesystems) are designed to keep out mosquitos and the midges just fly straight through them.

A little bit of wind gets rid of them so try to camp high and in exposed places (unless the forecast is bad of course!).

Its been a dry spring/early summer, so hopefully they won't be too bad this year.

Matt :)

Everything you need to know about Midges, I've used Deet whenever I've been up there in season and it's worked brilliantly, went up to the Yorkshire dales last week and didn't even take a hat and got eaten alive.

Scottish Midges Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland

I wanted to take a ride in Scotland up until just now. Why don't you ask your yankee friends if they have any suitable chemicals left from Vietnam (guess even US Army is green these days) and get rid of the problem?:mchappy: